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Danish ‘puppy boom’ over as Labrador tops list of country’s favourite dogs

The Labrador Retriever has been named as Denmark’s most popular dog breed in an annual list which also suggests that a Covid-19 “puppy boom” has passed its peak.

Published: 16 March 2023 17:06 CET
Danish ‘puppy boom’ over as Labrador tops list of country’s favourite dogs
The Labrador Retriever is Denmark's most popular breed of dog, according to Dansk Kennel Klub. Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau Scanpix

Puppy litters in Denmark have returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, according to dog owners’ association Dansk Kennel Klub.

The pandemic saw a “puppy boom” in which the number of litters increased, but the 22,481 puppies registered with the organisation in 2022 represented a 20 percent decrease compared to the previous year.

Labrador Retrievers are meanwhile the most popular pedigree dog breed in Denmark for the seventh year in a row, Dansk Kennel Klub said in a press statement released on its website.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, record numbers of people in Denmark decided to get a dog. The number of registrations in the Dansk Kennel Klub database increased by 10 percent between 2019 and 2020. There was a further 20 percent increase between 2020 and 2021.

The subsequent drop in 2022 was therefore an expected development, Dansk Kennel Klub press spokesperson Lise Lotte Christensen said in the statement.

“[A drop of 20 percent] sounds like a lot but if we compare with the year before the corona pandemic it shows we’re back at a more normal rate – in fact, there’s a little increase of 4.6 percent,” she said.

She added the figure was positive because it is evidence that breeders are not producing more dogs than there are good homes for in Denmark.

The Labrador is top of the list as the most frequently registered pedigree with 2,648 registrations last year, and therefore the most popular with buyers.

The second-highest number of registrations (1,645) was of Havanese, with Golden Retrievers (1,415) in third place. The full list can be read below.

Top 20 pedigree dog breed registrations with Dansk Kennel Klub, 2022

  1. Labrador Retriever
  2. Havanese
  3. Golden Retriever
  4. German Shepherd
  5. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  6. Poodle (all sizes)
  7. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
  8. Coton de Tuléar 
  9. Dachshund (all sizes/hair lengths)
  10. German Wirehaired Pointer
  11. Border Collie
  12. Jack Russell Terrier
  13. English Cocker Spaniel
  14. Bernese Mountain Dog
  15. Cardigan Welsh Corgi 
  16. Small Münsterländer
  17. Australian Shepherd
  18. Shetland Sheepdog
  19. Danish–Swedish farmdog
  20. Rottweiler

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PETS

‘Welcome but expensive’: Is it worth having a dog in Denmark?

We asked our readers in Denmark about being the owner of a dog in the Nordic country.

Published: 22 February 2024 16:51 CET
Updated: 25 February 2024 08:54 CET
'Welcome but expensive': Is it worth having a dog in Denmark?

Many people own dogs in Denmark, but if you’ve moved to the country from abroad and are bringing your dog — or if you want to get one after arriving — things might be different from countries you’ve lived in previously.

We asked our readers in Denmark for their thoughts. Many thanks to all who took time to get in touch.

How would you describe dog culture in Denmark, and how does it differ in comparison to other countries you’ve experienced?

“It’s weird: the Danes adore dogs in general, but at the same time it’s like everything is designed to make having a dog difficult,” said one reader.

“Moving to Copenhagen from Prague (Czechia), Denmark is not a very dog friendly country in my opinion,” said Barbora, who has a two-year-old Hungarian vizsla.

What costs are involved in owning a dog? Is it particularly expensive in Denmark?

“Paying for the dog, registration, mandatory insurance, it’s expensive but worth it,” said Ray, who moved to Denmark in 2022 and got a dog the following year.

“From what I’ve heard, compared to India, it is 7-10 times more expensive (for a Labrador),” said Namit Karlekar, who got his first dog after moving to Denmark.

In general, owning a dog appears to be costly in Denmark relative to other countries.

“I brought my dog from abroad and was shocked at the prices for everything dog-related,” another reader said.

“Vet expenses are insanely high and so are dog health insurances. Petsitting is very difficult to arrange and again very pricey. Finding a flat to rent that allows dogs is also a challenge, and forces you more often than not to pick a place with a high rent in one of the company-owned buildings,” they explained.

This was backed up by Barbora, who said that “vet costs are extremely expensive in Copenhagen, you really need to have a dog insurance.”

“Other than that, dog food is also more expensive than in other countries, but still okay,” she added.

How do non-dog owners tend to react to dogs?

Danes generally welcome dogs, our readers found, although there can be some restrictive rules, notably in residential buildings.

READ ALSO: What are the rules for dog owners in Denmark?

“Dogs are a part of life” in Denmark, Ray said, with Namit stating that “people are either friendly, or indifferent.”

“People in general seem to love dogs,” a third reader said.

“Little kids often ask me if it’s ok to pet my dog, which I think is great, because this means they’ve been taught that not all dogs welcome attention from strangers, and my experience regarding this in my home country was very different,” they explained.

Dogs can also be a great ice breaker in a country where chatting to strangers can be notoriously difficult, they also said.

“Having a dog helped me tie bonds in my new neighbourhood, because the other dog owners would talk to me and share tips with me,” they said.

Barbora noted that many apartment buildings “do not allow dogs, [the] same goes for cafes and restaurants.”

What is considered ‘normal’ for owning a dog in Denmark but might not be in other countries?

For this question, the standout answer was insurance.

“Pet insurances, especially health insurance. An absolute must. Three weeks after moving to Denmark my dog broke a couple of teeth on a toy, and I had no idea insurances were a thing. After being slapped with a 13,000 kroner bill, I quickly got wiser,” a respondent said.

Namit pointed out that “Getting a rabies injection is not mandatory in Denmark, as long as your dog stays in Denmark.”

Did you bring your dog with you when you moved to Denmark? What was the process like?

While this question did not apply in all of our responders’ cases those who did bring their dogs with them seemed reasonably satisfied.

“I brought my dog with me from another EU country and the process was smooth,” our anonymous reader said.

“There was some paperwork involved in Denmark though: compulsory liability insurance, then later health insurance, and it’s also necessary to register your dog at the Dansk Hunderegister [Danish Dog Register, ed.]. Finding a new vet was very easy, and all vets we’ve seen were very nice and skilled,” they said.

Barbora said she “registered online and it was pretty easy and straightforward”.

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